Everyone loves an easy, 20-minute dinner recipe and this creamy bacon corn sauce with pasta shells is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
Full amounts and recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
- Bacon. I used streaky bacon.
- Red onion.
- Garlic.
- Corn. Use fresh or frozen.
- Italian seasoning / Italian herbs.
- Chilli flakes.
- Chicken stock.
- Cream. Heavy / Whipping cream.
- Fresh lemon juice.
- Fresh herbs, for serving. I used chives but parsley or basil will also be delicious.
- Parmesan cheese, grated.
- Pasta of your choice. I used shells but any pasta shape will work.
How to make creamy corn pasta
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (I start the sauce while the water comes to a boil.) Add pasta of your choice and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water then drain.
- Make the sauce: Cook the bacon in a large pan until crisp and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. Drain the grease and leave behind around 1 tablespoon of bacon fat. Saute the chopped onion in the same pan until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the corn to the pan and allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly then add the bacon back to the pan with the herbs. Pour in the stock, cream and lemon juice. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes until slightly reduced and it coats the back of a spoon easily. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Combine and serve: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce until the pasta is creamy and well-coated. Add Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs and serve.
Can I make this ahead?
The sauce can be made up to a day in advance and kept in the fridge. Gently reheat in a warm pan then combine with the cooked pasta. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in a warm pan. Add a splash of water as the pasta would have absorbed most of the sauce.
Creamy pasta recipes

Creamy bacon corn pasta
Everyone loves an easy, 20-minute dinner recipe and this creamy bacon corn sauce with pasta shells is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
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Servings: 6
Calories: 557kcal
Ingredients
- 250 g (½lb) bacon chopped
- ½ red onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning / Italian herbs
- pinch of chilli flakes
- 2 cups corn kernels
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1½ cups cream
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 500 g (1lb) pasta
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add pasta of your choice and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Cook the bacon in a large pan until crisp and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. Drain the grease and leave behind around 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.
- Saute the chopped onion in the same pan until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds.
- Add the corn to the pan and allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly. Add the bacon back to the pan with the herbs.
- Pour in the stock, cream and lemon juice. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes until slightly reduced and it coats the back of a spoon easily. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce until the pasta is creamy and well-coated.
- Add Parmesan cheese and fresh chives and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 1113mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 226IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg
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